A lifestyle change took place when we moved to our smallholding in Wales, we are leaving behind the consumerism of life, growing our food, raising our meat, living our lives to the full, enjoying every day the highs and lows of country living, but not going without just doing it better.

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Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Is It Going To Or Not

Is it going to snow or not, the weather forecasters seem undecided, if we are going to get it or not and when, I get weather alerts sent to me by email, and the past few days, there has been a flurry of them, forecasting anything from a few centimetres to 10 centimetres, even up to 8 inches, it seems they cant even decided on metric or imperial, temperatures are going to drop to anything from -2c to -13c, just to mess things up we are going to have gales as well.

Whatever the weather we cant do anything about it, so just in case I popped out this morning to top up on animal feed

If the snow comes, they don't grit or clear the mountain road leading up from the village to here, if it is as bad as they are predicting there is a chance we will be cut off for a while, I would rather have enough feed in than risk it, we have plenty of hay and straw, it was just a case of top up feeds for the bins, that were due for a top up at the week end.

I also went to the fruit and veg merchants picked up several boxes of apples for the goats and pigs another sack of carrots and a couple of watermelons for the chickens at 50p each.

I spotted a £1 box of mangoes with a couple of bananas, thoughts turned to mango chutney one of my favourites and knowing we had no left, it would have been criminal to not buy them

I have never made Mango chutney before and this one seems fairly straight forward to do.

Right now the sky is blue the sun is shining but the wind has got up and the temperature is dropping, torches are charged up, plenty of logs have been brought in, the fire is laid ready for a match later, I have a small joint of beef in the oven for my dinner later, I really fancied some roast beef.

15 comments:

Good haul there Dawn, I love homemade mango chutney but Fran buys me a selection every year. I have prepared mango in the freezer for when I run out of the fancy jars. What ever the weather decides to bring I am ready for it.

I do love getting stocked up for whatever the weather throws at us. I am not sure what to expect at ours having not been through winter here before, but we'll be ready either way. LOVE mango chutney and I have never thought about making it. Great idea, thank you

Yes Dawn. I have seen various reports, some saying that North Wales is the only place that really may get it but who knows. We are as you, blue sky, proper windy and cold, too. Rayburn is lit with a chicken curry bubbling away for tea, living room fire laid ready to light before I fetch the boys and logs a plenty but may just fetch a few in for the the kitchen. Hatches are battened down and whatever comes we, too, are ready for it. Take care.

I have a good green grocers but the quantities and prices you get things for are brilliant. I have made mango chutney before and in fact am due to make some this year oh eats it usually however did not have to salt the mango. I presume it is so you get a more defined shape with the fruit pieces. Look forward to hearing how you got onFoot slowly getting there however very sore and my skin has peeled despite putting on moisturiser. You keep safe and glad you are prepared Take care pattypan x

Just have to pipe up that my mango and pepper chutney is very good too!!Looks as if you are well prepared for whatever weather is thrown at you up there on the mountain. I will be very surprised if we get much over here in the east

Sounds like you are prepared for whatever the weather throws at you. We have had tons of snow since before christmas, everyday we seem to get a little or a lot. I was very happy when I went to bring in the paper this morning and saw that there was no new snow to shovel. We went out yesterday and the roads were like glass. We have a 4WD and winter tires and driving very slow and we were still sliding at intersections. Apparently the roads are even worse today but we have to go out again, just hope a lot of the idiots that are usually on the roads stayed home!!!! We are supposed to get a chinook by the weekend though so we'll all be happy. It is going from -24C,-30C to 8to10C above. Heaven, except for all the slop on the roads-can't win!!

We always keep a good storecupboard and full freezer, but did next weeks' shop this week, just in case, including more birdseed as they are getting through that at quite a rate of knots. I am rather hoping it DOESN'T snow on Friday as we have an auction to attend at Brecon, and I don't want to miss that as I need fresh stock for the Antiques Fair at the end of the month.

You sound well prepared anyway. Mango Chutney is something I make regularly (I'd love a link to a Mango de-stoner please), and like to try out various recipes. Will give that one a whirl next time.

The Council seem to think there may be a Snow Event as they were out filling up the salt and grit bins on our hill this afternoon . . . You know what are hill is like, above and below us, so we don't go anywhere much if it does chuck it down a bit with the white stuff. Keep safe.

Mangos in winter??! Where ever have they been flown in from? We're scoffing mangos here in our Aussie summer, and opposite to you, were sweltering, temps of 40C tomorrow. How about we swap just a little cold for a little hot...make the temperatures more comfy all round lol

Glad you stocked up and will be all ready what ever the weather brings!